


Roadside Assistance

by Aithilin



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Canon Compliant, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-16
Updated: 2018-07-16
Packaged: 2019-06-11 05:13:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15308241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aithilin/pseuds/Aithilin
Summary: Ignis knew they should have stopped at that last outpost for a fill up. Now they're stuck on the side of the road with a trek to a nearby haven.





	Roadside Assistance

“Y’all are acting,” Cindy said as she climbed down from the cab of the truck; “like you never saw a girl drive a truck before.”

It was a sunny day. The sort of comfort and warmth that had begged them to keep to the open roads— that had suggested, amid the curl of the coastline and the gleam of sun on the ocean expanse beyond the drop of the Cleigne cliffs, that they could pass just one more outpost. It had left them looking over those same lovely cliffs, with the salt breeze coiling in the endless summer light, for hours while they waited for the Hammerhead crew to arrive.

Ignis had stayed closest to the Regalia in the afternoon sun, sleeves rolled up and jacket cast across the seats while he watched for any sign of the promised rescue. Noctis and Prompto had been the first to take shelter in the shade of the trees across the road, sprawled out in the soft grass while Gladiolus spread their map out between them to search for some nearby solution to the sudden trouble. 

It was Ignis who spotted the truck first, but Prompto who had greeted their blonde saviour. 

“It’s not a common sight in the Crown City, I assure you.” Ignis said with a smile, even as he allowed Prompto to help manoeuvre the Regalia into position. 

“Well, you boys did need to get out more.” Cindy made her way around the Regalia before getting it hooked up to tow. “Was it just the gas this time? Or are you breaking all of Paw-paw’s hard work?”

“We would never—”

Ignis interrupted the the indignant squawk of protest from Prompto. “Just the gas. Got a bit carried away out here.”

“That truck big enough for a ride?” Gladio folded the map as he approached, Noctis dragged from the cool comfort of the shade and soft grass. “Or are we stuck walking?”

“You wanting a ride?” Cindy’s smirk matched Gladio’s, and she made a show of checking the cab of the truck. “Can take two of you if it’s a tight squeeze you’re looking for.”

“How tight are we talking?” Gladio shrugged in response to the swat Ignis gave him; “Can’t have the lady hauling the car all the way back out here when at least one of us can go along as driver.”

“I volunteer!” Prompto bounced on the balls of his feet with a grin, all but waving his hand to show his sincerity. “I can drive back here.”

“Take Noctis,” Ignis eyed up the truck as he spoke, not certain if leaving the two alone with the Regalia would improve the situation or make it worse. “Gladio, go with him.”

“And get chewed out by Cid for not filling up the tank?” Noctis made a face; “No thank you.”

“Noct, out here, without any means of—”

“Gladio just said there’s a haven somewhere around here. Prompto can drive.”

“No he can’t.”

“Hey!”

Both ignored Prompto’s protest, even as Gladio took a few steps off to speak with Cindy as they argued. 

“He’d be fine,” Noctis grinned, and nudged Ignis with an elbow. “Especially if Gladio went with him.”

Ignis sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he assessed the situation at hand. They had options; none of them were helpless for a night without the car. Not with a haven nearby. And Noctis was clearly against the idea of the long drive back to Hammerhead and then back out to pick them up, after getting an earful from Cid, as he said. “Gladio? What do you make of the idea?”

“Just about to suggest it, Specs. Grab the gear out of the trunk and I’ll pick you guys up in the morning.”

“And I’m coming, right?” Prompto looked between them; “because I’m cool with whatever, but I’m better with staying with the car.”

“Yeah, you’re going,” Noctis patted Prompto’s shoulder; “try not to be too much of a dork.”

“No promises!” 

“You boys done?” Cindy was already climbing back into the truck; “Because a girl’s got things to do.”

Gladio grinned as Prompto scrambled up after Cindy, delaying them long enough to get the basics from their gear out and showing Ignis the haven on the map. The man leaned in long enough to mutter something to Ignis before getting into the Hammerhead truck and giving Prompto a little shove to make room. Noctis noticed the fading blush only after the truck was on its way, and Cindy calling out that she’ll give them a call to update just how angry Cid was later. 

“You okay there, Iggy?”

“Yes, fine. We have a bit of a walk ahead of us, what do you want to carry?”

“I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen you blush though.”

“No need to mention it. Grab the tent, will you?”

It was easy to pretend not to see that teasing smirk as they started the trek to the haven. As they started the long walk along the shoulder of the road, in hopes a car might pass and take pity on them. Instead, most of the walk was spent pausing to admire the view— to watch the waves rolling in with the tide, and the white spray of them as the waters broke against the rocky shores. Ignis could see the distant shine of the have, and smiled as he spotted the shadow of the pier just beyond it. It was easy, in the quiet, as they set their equipment down for a moment’s rest, to forget what had brought them so far out into the world. 

“Iggy?”

“Yes?”

“You are okay, right?”

“Of course I am, Noct.”

He thought he could be forgiven for thinking in terms of ‘when this is over’ and imagining a future when they return to the city to find it whole and intact. Exactly as they had intended. This was just a detour in their plans. Ignis thought he could be forgiven for thinking— imagining— that the plan they had made under the counsel of the King was still in place.

No matter what Gladio said. 

“If you’re sure.”

“Have you ever known me to not be sure of something?”

“Yes.”

“Name once.”

“That time you wanted to sneak into the kitchens to make cookies when we were kids. And you didn’t know the sugar from the salt.”

“Ah. Yes, well a childhood transgression—”

“And that time when I was studying for that history test, and you were ‘almost positively maybe certain’ about the date of my great-whatever uncle’s death.”

“History is rarely exact, Noct.”

They were closer to the haven now; having reached the parking area, and the steps that would lead them down to the rocky base of the seaside cliff. He wondered how these places had developed in the past, what ancient power settled on this little outcrop and promised safe passage and a restful night to anyone else who should come along for the rest of the future. He wondered, idly, which divine servant— Oracle or Messenger, or King, or whatever combination they were— had settled out here for long enough to decide that it was worthy of divine protections. 

Seeing Noctis’ reactions to the place at least gave him some understanding. 

Some havens were set in places that were just pretty, rather than useful. 

“And,” Noctis continued once they had made it to the edge of the protected outcrop. Ignis could see that he was already eyeing up the pier and the potential fish beyond; “there’s the fact that you don’t seem to have any idea on whether or not you love me.”

“Of course I love you.”

It was said without thought, as Ignis was already trying to sort out how to set up the tent without Gladio there to guide him. He froze when he realised what he had just said, but forced himself not to search out Noctis to see a reaction. To not dare hope that there was a reaction at all. 

“Iggy—”

“I’m sure you wouldn’t mind catching some fish for dinner? It might be easier than hunting for something in any of the tide pools, and I daresay I forgot most of our food.”

“Ignis—”

“Why don’t you head down to the pier now?” Ignis tried to busy himself with the setup of his workstation— the little grill and supplies he had brought; pretending to eye up the firepit for the means to actually cook their dinner instead. He refused to acknowledge his shaking hands. “You have the better eye for types of fish, anyway. Best get started before its dark.”

He wanted to be certain that Noctis wouldn’t see this reaction. This particular uncertainty now. It wasn’t part of their plans. Any of the plans. But they had been travelling for weeks, and they had always been as close as brothers. Ignis assured himself that he could justify it that way to them both— there were plenty of types of love, after all. 

Ignis nearly knocked over the grill in his shock at Noctis’ touch to his arm. “Your highness, I—”

“I love you too, Iggy.”

“You can’t.”

“I do.”

“No, Noct, you can’t. Your duty… the kingdom… the plan…”

“Iggy,” he knew that look. Noctis was caught somewhere between amusement and softness. A look that promised there would be teasing later; “breathe, right?”

“Yes. Yes. I’m breathing.”

“I love you.” 

It was said again, with the same earnest certainty, the same smile, the look from Noctis that he had known since their childhood. Open and kind. “You can’t.”

“Why not?”

“You’re the prince. The king.”

“So? Since when does that mean anything for you?”

“Don’t start,” that was the familiar jibe he needed to bring himself back from the shock, the surprise. “You know my duty to the crown has always been—”

“Second to whatever the hell I asked from you.”

“Well, yes, but that hasn’t always worked out in my favour, has it?”

“It will this time,” Noctis grinned, and pulled Ignis down for a quick peck— a chaste kiss. If Ignis had better planned this sort of grand romantic gesture, he would have had something profound or sweet to say in response to their first kiss, rather than just the surprised look he had managed. “Because I want you. And I get what I want, right?”

“Since when?”

“Now. King’s orders.”

“That may be an abuse of power.”

“Specs…” It was a waring in that tone, one that Ignis found more endearing than he thought he should. 

Ignis pushed Noctis’ hair from his eyes and smiled. He wanted to judge the sincerity for himself, see that affection to prove that it was real. “How long?”

“For what?”

“Since you’ve decided this?”

“A while… Gladio said that if I didn’t say something, he would.”

“He did.” Ignis thought back to the muttered comment before his friend had climbed into the truck to Hammerhead. “In a manner of speaking.”

“What did he say?”

“You should go catch our dinner, Noctis.”

“That’s not what he said.”

“He said… Gladio, in all his diplomatic ingenuity, promised that there were condoms packed in with the tent.”


End file.
